Ok, nut allergy noted. Guess i'll just take the walnut back home/return to store, so there will not be a problem totally forgot about nut allergy in a public space. Think I can use pumice as a replacement.

Last edited by swinkdaddy on Tue Nov 15, 2011 9:52 am, edited 1 time in total.

Would it be possible to use walnut shells in the space and post a notice for 24 hours thereafter, or is it just wiser to shrug shoulders and proceed to a suitable substitute? Perhaps those of you with nut allergies could say. Also, could the blasting box be used outside when loaded with nutshells? I can see, however, that storing the shells in the space could be a problem. I had no idea this kind of allergy could be triggered by dust. I imagined it was only triggered by ingestion. (I'm not disputing that, merely admitting my own ignorance with mild surprise.)

as a nut allergy sufferer, i'll take a stab at a few things. keep in mind that everyone with an allergy has different sensitivity levels. what might give me an asthma attack may kill someone else, and vice versa.

walnut shells are an allergen for me, particularly their dust. storing them in a sealed container should be completely fine for me, and using them contained in a blasting box would be ok IF no dust were to get out. the fine dust produced by blasting would be particularly hazardous. even the klutz brand juggling bags filled with walnut husks give me respiratory distress to handle. a bucket of husks for polishing media where the drum could be opened and reclosed outside wouldn't be an issue for me provided folks were very diligent about making sure they don't introduce the dust to the space on their clothes or project media.

likewise the minute particles of nut on someone's breath after eating a nut roll or peanut butter sandwich can trigger a mild asthma attack for me, but i'm not sensitive enough to insist on a nut free shop, simply that folks don't eat a lot of nuts around me, and clean up any nutty residue. have a walnut brownie, just don't kiss me after it.

walnut wood does not appear to be an allergen for me, merely an irritant (like any wood dust) but i haven't worked with the massive amounts of dust produced by turning it. personally i have no objection to the use of walnut wood in the shop (i've used it myself) but would encourage everyone to check with those nearby before making a lot of dust with any less typical wood. while not an allergen for me (or most nut allergy sufferers afaik) there are a surprising number of woods that are allergens, or quite toxic in dust form. cedar is particularly brutal to breathe, and juniper can be bad along with many tropical hardwoods. oak, maple, ash, white and yellow pine all are pretty low level allergens.

I've never had problems with a specific species of wood being turned/sanded, but I built the air cleaner for just that reason. If folks would turn on the air cleaner whenever they are cutting, turning, sanding or otherwise making wood dust, I don't suspect I'd have a problem. I do not have a contact allergy to any wood species I know of.

As for the nut dust, I'm in the same bucket with metis. If the airborne shell or nut material makes it to my lungs, I'm going to have an asthma attack at the minimum. I know I said earlier that using it near an air cleaner would be best, but I've reconsidered. I know we're not the only ones with nut allergies and there are some more sensitive than I. Overall, it would be safest to return the walnut material and pick up some pumice or non-organic abrasive. I do not think that people would be 100% effective at removing all the walnut particles from something they've blasted (along with their clothing) outside before bringing it into the shop. There's just too great a risk.

Also, I don't foresee people actually dragging the blasting setup outside (in the snow?) when they need to use it - even with lots of posted warnings, etc, it just won't happen. An alternative would be an updraft hood or other airflow system that exhausted through a cyclone and then to outside (away from the parking/dock area, please!) - this should be investigated even with non-organics in use, because silicosis is both un-fun and irreversible. The welding area needs a good hood anyway and there's a window that could be removed for the purpose - it even has a sign suggesting a hood be put there, so I know someone agrees with me.

MCAD has a nice system of movable arm vent that can be moved to different tools and over workbenches. they are really nice, but $$$. I think we may be able to build a similar system that uses 8" flexible duct and a couple of track channels. That way you can move suction where you need it around the tables and near sandblaster.